Counting device



' Aprii 28, 1925.

M. D. PRICE coumms DEVICE Filed Sept. 24, 1923 Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

MITCHELL 1). PRICE, OF MIAMI, FLOR-IDA.

COUNTING DEVICE.

Application filed September 24, 1923. Serial No. 664,582.-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MITCHELL D. PRICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Miami, county of Dade, and State of Florida, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Counting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a counting device designed particularly for counting or tabulating game scores, the structure of the device making it peculiarly adapted for tabula t-ing the score of the game of golf.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a. game counting device which will be distinguished by its simplicity often ing the possibility of manufacturing the same in great quantities at a minimum cost, together with a simplicity of operation, rendering the same unobjectionable, and on the other hand,of considerable advantage in use.

Specifically, the invention consists in the provision of a. tablet upon which there is delineated numerals from zero to 9 having associated therewith rows of apertures through which cords of distinguishing colors may be drawn whereby the score of the game being tabulated may be indicated. The construction of the device makes it possible to restrict the dimensions of the same to a convenient size, olfering the further possibility when the counter is employed for instance in scoring the game of golf of attaching the same to the belt of the player whereby it is always conveniently accessible.

The details of construction of my improved invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a counting device constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical edge view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 33 in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is an ele'vational view of a modified form of construction.

Referring now particularly to the drawings wherein like reference characters llldl.

cate like parts, it will be noted that the invention consists'of a tablet or plate 10 which may be made of any suitable material, preferably apertured at the top as at 11 for the reception of a strap 12 slit at the top as at 13 for the reception of the belt l-l of the player, or of any other suitable fastening means. Obviously, the attaching means for the counter just described, while simple in construction and advantageous in use, may be modified as the use to which the counter is put and the convenience of the player dic tate. U

The tablet 10 is provided adjacent each of its longitudinal edges with a row of spaced parallel apertures 15, preferably ten in number, each of which apertures is in communication with a laterally extending slot 16 opening at the side of the tablet 1d.

Arranged preferably centrally of the tablet 10 and in transverse alignment with the rows of apertures 15 in a. row of indicat ing indicia 17, this indicia being preferably a column of numerals from 1 to 9 and zero. This line of numerals is inversel arranged as viewed in Fig. 1 for a purpose to be later described.

Arranged adjacent the lower end of the tablet 10 is an aperture 18 having associated therewith a slot 19 which extends to the end of the tablet and associated with this aperture is indicating indicia in the form of the number 100.

Cooperating with the rows of apertures 15 are a plurality of flexible indicators 20. In constructing the counter it has been found preferable to form these flexible counters in pairsfrom a single length of for instance, cord, and for this purpose the tablet 10 is provided adjacent its center with a pair of spaced apertures 21 whereby each flexible member 20 may be knotted and then passed inwardly through the aperture arranged at the left in Fig. 1 across the back of the tablet 10 and out through the a Jerture 21 disposed on the right, where it is again knotted.

This arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 3 and as will be obvious, affords a simple and eflicient means for anchoring the flexible counting members to the tablet 10. Each pair of cords, that is, one of the cords co operating with the lefthand row of apertures 15 and one of the cords cooperating with the righthand row of apertures 15 is of a distinguishing color and if desired, the ends of these flexible counting members may have attached thereto ballshaped enlargements 22 which will be of the same distinguishing color as the flexible counting members. The length of these counting members is sufflcient only to reach to the aperture 15 or 18 disposed furtherest from the point of attachment to the tablet 10.

ith reference to the form of counter illustrated in Fig. 1, let it be assumed that of the two pair of flexible counting members that one pair is white while the other pair is red. Thus, there is a white and red cord arrangedfor cooperation with each row of apertures 15. In use the player will grasp the tablet 10 and swing the sameupWardly as suggested by dotted lines in Fig. 2 whereupon the row of indicating indicia will be correctly arranged for use with the number 1 arranged at the top thereof. Let it be assumed that the pair of red indicating members are being used for tabulati'ng the number of strokes and that the player has used 24 strokes thus far during the game.

Under these conditions the flexible indicat lug element to the right in Fig; 1 will be caused to engage the aperture 15 opposite the number 2 by sliding the flexible cord through the slot 16 while the flexible counting element to the left in Fig. 1 will be caused to engage the aperture 15 opposite the numeral 4. Thus the count of 2-iis in dicated on the tablet by means of the pair of red flexible indicating members.- if the other pair of counting elements are to be employed for. tabulating the number of holes won by the player they may manipulated in the same manner. Obviously owing to the restricted passageway afforded by the slots 16 which cooperate with the apertures 15, the flexible members may be caused to pass through these apertures conveniently While the tablet is raised and in proper position but after the flexible menibers have been thus adjusted, danger of the flexible members becoming disengaged is very slight. vThus the tabulated score may be conveniently kept until the next stroke or mentally computed until the next hole is made and then registered. Obviously by providing the aperture 18 near the end of the tablet the score when amounting to 100 or over may be kept. 7

In Fig. i a slightly modified form of con struction is indicated in which the apertures 15 have associated therewith slots 16 an gu'larly arranged, thus insuring further against the disengagement of the flexible counting members after the score. has been tabulated. It will be noted that the angularity of the slots 16 is so arranged that when the counter is suspended downwardly that these slots extend in an upward direction. Also in this modification the flexible counting elements 20 are connected to the tablet 10 at. the top thereof.

NVithout departing at all from thespirit and scope of this invention it will be obvious that the number of pairs of the flexible counting members may be increased so that for instance, fourpair of flexible counting elements are provided, whereby a single counting tablet 10 may be used to tabulate the strol ie score "of a foursome at golf. Ob- 1 viously, if only four pair of counting elements are employed for scoring-the stroke score of four players the hole score could not be tabulated upon the same tablet. In a like manner, with a scorer such as illustrated Fig. 1 the stroke score for instance of two players may be conveniently tabulated on the same tablet.

In any event it is essential only that a sufficient number of pairs of flexible count.- ing elements be provided each pair being of a distinctive color, for individually registering the stroke or hole scores of the players. Obviously by reason of the construction of the counter two or more scores of like amounts may be registered without confusion.

While the invention has been described herein in some detail and certain modifications of the same suggested, still it will be apparent to those skilled in this particular art that various other modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscop'e of the invention and to this end I make reservation to make'such changes as may come within the purview of the accompanying claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

Claims- 1. In a counter of the class described a tablet provided with a plurality of apertures adj acent the edge thereof together with slots extending from said apertures to the edge of the tablet, indicating indicia associated with said apertures and a flexible counting element insertable through aselected apertur'e by'means of the associated slot.

2. In {a counter, a tablet, said tablet being provided with a plurality of apertures, each communicating with the edge of the tablet by means of an associated slot, indicating indicia associated with said slotand a plurality of flexible indicating members of distinctive colors insert-able through splected apertures through the associated s ots. l I

The foregoing specification signed at 'VVashington, District of Columbia, this seventeenth day of September, 1923. V

MITCHELL D. PPICE. 

